Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-09-16

falls. The bridge by which the island
is entered is hundred yards or more
above the smaller fall. The waters
here have been tunred by the island.
and make their leap into the body Of
the river below al Il right angle with
it-about two hundred yards below the
greater fall. Taken alone this smaller
cataract would. imagine, be the heav-
lest fall of water known, but taken in
conjunction with the other it is terribly
shorn of its majesty The waters here
are not as green as they are at the
larger cataract and though the ledge
has been followed and bowled by them
SO as to form curve, that curve does
not deepen itself into vast abyss as it
does at the horseshoe up above. This
smaller fall is again divided, and the
visitor passing down flight of steps
and over frail wooden bridge finds
himself on a smaller island in the midst
of it,
But we will 90 at oAce on to the glory.
and the thunder and the majesty. and
the wrath of that upper hell of waters.
We are still, let the reader remember,
on Goat Island, still in the states. and
on what is called the American side of
/ the main body of the river Advancing
beyond the path leading down to the
lesser fall, we come TO that point of the
island at which the waters of the main
river begin to descend From hence
across to the Canadian side the cata-
ract continues itself in one undated
! line. But the line is very far from be-
ing direct or straight. After stretching
for some little way from the shore to "A
point in the river which is reached by
a wooden bridge at the end of which
stands tower upon the rock - after
stretching to this, the line of the ledge
bends inwards against the ilood-in, and
in, and in, till one is led to think that
the depth of that horseshoe is immeas-
urable. 1t has been cut with no stint
ing hand. A monstrous cantle has been
worn back out of the center of the rock,
so that the fury of the waters converges.
and the spectator. as he gazes into the
hollow with wishfui eyes. fancies that
he can hardly trace ont the centre Of
the abyss.
Go down to the end of that wooden
bridge, seat yourself on the rail. and
there sit till all the outer world is lost
to you. There is no grander spot about
! Niagara than this The waters are alb
solutely around YOU. If you have that
power of eye-control which is so nee
essary to the full enjoyment of scenery,
YOU will see nothing but the water.
You will certainly hear nothing else;
and the sound, beg you to remember,
is not an ear-cracking, agoniZng crash
and clang of noises; but IS melodious.
and soft withal, though loud as thun-
der. Ii fills your ears, and, a. L were.
envelops them. but at the same time
you can speak to your neighbor with
out an effort. But at this place, and
in these moments, the less of speaking,
l should say, the better There is n o
grander spot than this. Here, seated
on the rail of the bridge, you will not
see the whole depth of the fall. In
looking At the grandest works of Ea-
ture, and of art. too, | fancy. it is
never well to see all. There should
be something left to the imagination.
and much should be half concealed in
mystery. The greatest charm of a
mountain range is the wild feeling
desolate worlds in those far-off valleys
beyond. And so here at Niagara
that converging rush of waters
may fall down, down at once
into hell of rivers for what the eye
can see. 1t is glorious to watch them
in their first curve over the rocks.
They come green as IA bank of emer-
aids; but with a fitful, flying color, as
though conscious that in one moment
more they would be dashed into spray
and rise into air, pale as driven snow.
The vapor rises high into the air and is
gathered there. VS. BILE always rs a per-
manent white cloud over the cataract;
but the bulk of the spray which fills the
lower hollow of the horseshoe is like
a tumult of snow. This you will not
fully see from your seat on the rail.
The head of it rises ever and anon out
of that caldron below. but the caldron
itself will be invisible. 1t is ever Sc
far down-far as your Imagination can
sink it. But your eyes will rest tull
upon the curve of the waters. The
shape you will be looking at is that OF
of horseshoe, but of horse shoe
miraculously deep from toe to heel;
and this depth becomes greater as you
sit there That which at first was only
great and beautiful becomes gigantic
and sublime, till the mind is at loss
to find an epithet for its own Use. To
realize Niagara you must sit there till
YOU see nothing else than that which